Coonan told attendees the importance of the industry to the nation could not be denied. In a brief speech she outlined what the government was doing in terms of regulation and funding to ensure a competitive environment.

CeBIT Australia is Asia-Pacific's largest technology trade show, and this year, organiser Hannover Fairs expect 30,000 visitors to check out the wares of 700 exhibitors, which are gathered under one roof.

CeBIT is not just about organisations promoting their businesses. On offer is a packed educational program including an e-Government Forum, sessions on VoIP and telecommunications, as well as guest speakers from Mozilla and Google.